“With Kapable, I learned to approach difficult conversations with more confidence and clarity.”

I knew I had the experience and capability to take the next step in my career. What I lacked was the confidence to consistently show it.
As Manager, Employer Brand and Digital at Cello Talent, I work with a major global technology company across APAC, helping shape how it is positioned as an employer. My work involves understanding what talent values, working with senior stakeholders, and communicating the organisation’s strengths externally. I was comfortable with what I did, but internally, I felt I was holding myself back.
That was what brought me to Kapable. I wanted to change how people perceived me, but I also wanted to understand what was getting in my way.
The first shift was awareness. After several sessions, I started noticing patterns in how I thought, communicated and responded. I realised I would sometimes ramble or lose my main point, especially when I was under pressure. I began consciously reminding myself to pause, get back to the point, tie my answer together and conclude clearly.
That change started showing up in real conversations. When I knew I was heading into a difficult conversation with a stakeholder, I no longer felt completely helpless about how it might unfold. I had different approaches I could draw on, and that reduced the fear around difficult situations. I could think, “Okay, we can talk our way through this.”
One of the biggest changes has been learning that I don’t always need an immediate answer. In one situation, I saw someone confidently tell a client, “I don’t know what other companies are doing, but this is what we are doing.” Instead of trying to impress the client with information he didn’t have, he stayed focused on what he could speak about with confidence. I remember thinking, I want to be able to disarm people like that.
The learning has also changed how I handle situations where I disagree or feel overlooked. When I was excluded from a strategy week in London, I wanted to communicate that I was disappointed without sounding emotional or confrontational. With guidance from my trainer, I found a way to express that professionally while making it clear that I wanted to be considered next time. I used it, and the message went through.
Today, I feel much more conscious of how I show up. I pause more, think before responding, and focus on what the other person needs to hear. I can also recognise when I am starting to spiral and remind myself that there is a way through the situation.
There is still a lot I want to practice. For me, Kapable was only the beginning. The real goal now is to keep building the muscle until these skills become instinctive, while staying anchored to the vision I have for myself.